Sports Pundit Podcast

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Sukh Sadhra, Head of Marketing at Premiership Rugby - the top tier of English club rugby union and home to some of the most iconic teams in the game.

Sukh’s background spans roles at Betfair, Sky, and experience-tech company Pollen, where he led CRM and brand communications, giving him a uniquely data-driven and fan-first approach to sports marketing.

In this conversation, we unpack Sukh’s marketing philosophy, how he’s repositioning Premiership Rugby for a new generation of fans, and why the Final at Twickenham has become a sell-out event two years running. We talk creativity, conversion, culture, and what it takes to turn a rugby match into an unmissable experience.

Timestamps

02:00 - Sukh’s Journey

08:00 - Data-Driven Marketing Strategies

18:00 - Collaboration with Clubs and Centralized Data

24:00 - Joint Marketing Efforts with RFU

28:00 - Building Player Profiles and Social Media Presence

32:00 - Selling the Final as a Premier Event

41:00 - Influencer Partnerships and Social Media

48:00 - Future Focus: Rebranding and Player Strategy

Additional Links

The Gallagher Premiership Final is officially SOLD-OUT!

Connect with Sukh on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

This is the first episode in a series of 5 focused on #Innovation and hosted by Leanne Bats, a former All Blacks and FC Barcelona executive now leading innovation for a regional sports trust in New Zealand. 

On today’s episode of the Sports Pundit Innovation Podcast, I’m joined by Lucy Trang Nguyen, Business Development Director for Emerging Technologies at Accedo, and one of the key voices shaping the future of immersive sports experiences.

Lucy has been leading the launch of the XR Sports Alliance, a powerful new collective founded by Accedo, Qualcomm and HBS, working to bring extended reality - or XR - from proof-of-concept into real-world fan experiences. Lucy and her team are helping sports organisations rethink what’s possible when fans aren’t limited by a 2D screen.

In this conversation, we unpack the promise of XR - what it actually is, how it could change both the at-home and in-venue experience, and why rights holders, broadcasters, and sponsors should start paying close attention. We also explore what makes XR storytelling different, the commercial and legal challenges of immersive content, and what needs to happen next to make it scalable.

Timestamps

02:00 Lucy's Career Journey and Early AR Experiences

10:00 The XR Sports Alliance: Formation and Mission

14:00 The Current State and Future of XR in Sports

27:00 In-Venue Experiences and the Potential of XR

30:00 Streaming Innovations for Euro 2024

34:00 Modular Viewing Experiences and Sponsorship Integration

38:00 Challenges and Learnings in XR Sports Alliance

50:00 Future of XR in Sports and Entertainment

Additional Links

Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode I’m joined by Leanne Bats, Head of Digital and Innovation at Sport Waikato, a not for profit Regional Sports Trust in New Zealand with the vision of 'Everyone out there and active'.

You might be thinking it’s fairly unique for a regional sports trust to have someone leading innovation, and you’d be right. This isn’t a typical role, it’s one that has been created specifically for Leanne - a former Football Fern, who has gone on to work with some of the biggest sporting IP on the planet in the form of the FC Barcelona and the All Blacks.

In this conversation, we discuss how she’s implementing innovation to increase participation in Waikato, a region in the upper North Island of New Zealand. We also discuss what she has learnt from her time with NZ rugby, her philosophy towards innovation, as well as who inspires her.

Timestamps

3:00 - Leanne’s Journey from the Football Ferns to the All Blacks

9:00 - Participation as a Form of Fan Engagement

15:00 - Engaging Younger Generations - and Meeting them Where They Are

21:00 - Implementing Innovation

29:00 - Innovators Who Inspire Leanne

37:00 - Future Plans and a Big Announcement

Additional Links

Connect with Leanne on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Michael Israel, Chief Information Officer at The Kraft Group, where he oversees a complex digital ecosystem spanning everything from the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, to global manufacturing plants and commodities firms.

Since joining in 2019, Michael has led a sweeping transformation: from deploying WiFi 6 and 5G across Gillette Stadium, to installing IPTV screens and menu boards that unlocked new sponsorship revenue. He’s introduced AI-driven safety systems, automated raw material detection in manufacturing, and is now overseeing a 5-year strategic tech partnership with NWN designed to re-architect their digital backbone, all ahead of hosting seven FIFA World Cup games in 2026.

In this conversation, we dig into how he’s planning for the AI era, what it takes to futureproof a stadium like Gillette, and why the guest experience - from concession speed to TikTok-ready connectivity - is becoming a performance metric in its own right.

Time Stamps

2:00 - Introduction to Michael and The Kraft Group

3:30 - Applying Lessons from Outside Sports

8:00 - Capturing User Data

13:00 - Switching IT Provider and Implementing Innovation 

17:00 - Applying AI Across the Organisation 

25:00 - Learning from FIFA to Taylor Swift 

27:00 - Looking to the Future 

Additional Links

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On Today’s Episode, I’m joined by Andy Thompson, Managing Director at SailGP, an international sailing competition, where teams compete across a season of multiple grands prix (GP) around the world in cities like New York, Sydney, San Francisco, and Portsmouth. 

Andy’s career spans the likes of Deloitte, London 2012, and Americas Cup - where he was first introduced to both Sailing and SailGP founders, Larry Ellison and Russell Coutts - who aspired to create a commercially viable sailing series. 

In this conversation we discuss Andy’s journey, as well as the journey of this upstart league, which was only founded in 2019, but now finds itself with 13 races and 12 teams, with owners like Ben Ainsley and Kylian Mbappe and blue-chip sponsors like Emirates, Accor, and Rolex. 

Timestamps

2:00 - Introduction and Early Career

08:00 Founding of SailGP, its Unique Approach and Growth

20:00 - Commercial Strategy and Partnerships

26:00 - Team Ownership, Expansion, and Attracting Kylian Mbappe 

35:00 - Rolex Becoming Title Partner and Partnership Strategy

42:00 - Data and Audience Engagement

45:00 - Future Focus and Consistency

Additional Links

SailGP Names DJ Khaled as Chief Hype Officer 🎤⛵

Connect with Andy T on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠Here⁠⁠ 

Connect with Andy M on LinkedIn - ⁠⁠Here

In the build up to our Speakers Only reunion event at Moonshot this week, in partnership with MLB, we are revisiting our conversation from last summer with their European Managing Director, Ben Ladkin.

Although now representing a major American sports league, Ben's journey in sport began at Arsenal, where he spent 11 years, eventually leading the media group and building their digital and social media presence during the dot com era.

Now at MLB, he operates across three key pillars: content, events, and participation. While the content pillar aligns closely with his past experience, he has embraced the new challenges of organising major events like the London Series (which took place earlier this month) as well as fostering baseball participation in Europe.

This has required tapping into popular U.S. sports already capturing mind-share in Europe, finding alignment with popular global sports such as cricket, and tapping into culture and the wider export of Americana.

Timestamps 

2:00 - Ben’s Journey 

6:00 - How London Differs from other MLB International Markets 

8:00 - Tapping into Cricket Fandom

12:00 - Incorporating Education into Content

14:00 - Strategy and Ambitions Across the Wider European Market

17:00 - Tapping in to Merchandise and Music

24:00 - Who Gets to Play in the London Series? 

25:00 - Special Edition Merch

28:00 - Ballpark Food and Exporting Americana

31:00 - Future Plans and 365 Engagement Strategies   

Additional Links

Home Plate: MLB's Recipe for Increasing Fan Appetite

⁠Can Cricket SUPERSTAR Harry Brook learn how to hit a baseball in just 1 day?! ⁠

⁠Jos Buttler swaps cricket for baseball to advertise the World Tour in London⁠

⁠Rob McElhenney brought baseball to a Wrexham match⁠

⁠Official MLB MLB London Series x Titi Collection⁠

Connect with Ben on LinkedIn - ⁠Here⁠ 

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - ⁠Here

On today’s conversation, I’m joined by the CEO of Overtime, Dan Porter. 

Formerly head of Digital at WME, CEO of OMGPOP, and the creator of the mobile game ‘Draw Something,’ Dan founded Overtime in 2016. 

Now a digital sports media company geared towards Gen-Z sports fans and operating a series of professional sports leagues - it began focusing on posting short-form content of high school athletes captured shared to social media.

This social-first identity carries through across all of the companies endeavours to this day, so I’m delighted to have Dan on to discuss the companies evolution from media platform to league operator, their recently announced partnerships with the ATP Tour and NWSL, and how they are navigating the evolving landscape around areas like NIL and social media.

Timestamps:  

2:00 - Dan’s Journey - From Draw Something to Overtime

5:00 - What is Overtime? A brand, a platform, a league?

8:00 - Becoming Sports League Operators 

10:00 - Young athletes aren’t future stars, they’re stars NOW

13:00 - Owning IP and Being Part of Creator Economy 

15:00 - Impact of Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) on Overtime

17:00 - Eli Ellis: A potential future Overtime CEO 

20:00 - Overtime’s Revenue Split 

25:00 – NFL, Olympics & new partnerships: Why other leagues are working with Overtime

30:00 – Future plans and Overtime’s potential bold play in chess

Additional Links:

Different Game: Overtime’s IP Empire Is What Every Sports Brand Wishes It Had 🔥

Overtime and NWSL Team Up For Gen-Z-Focused Content Partnership

ATP Tour & Overtime announce groundbreaking content partnership to bring tennis to new audiences

Connect with Dan on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Michael Yormark, President of Roc Nation Sports International, an agency representing the likes of Vini Jr, Kevin De Bruyne, Endrick, and Siya Kolisi.

Michael set up this division in 2019, moving to London with nothing but a suitcase and an alternative approach to representing athletes, particularly within European football. They’ve since expanded their presence to places like Italy, South Africa, and Brazil - and expanded their remit from football to also include rugby and netball. 

In this conversation we discuss that journey, the influence of Jay-Z, representing some of the biggest and most marketable athletes in the world, approaching new sports, how he would market rugby, and much more. 

Timestamps

2:00 - Michael's Journey

4:00 - Joining Roc Nation - and it's Founding Story

12:00 - Being Purpose-Led

17:00 - Creating Separation Between On and Off-Field Moves

20:00 - Working with Siya Kolisi and Challenging Rugby Culture

30:00 - How Can Rugby Diversify its Audience?

40:00 - Being Selective About the Brands that Athletes Work With

51:00 - Michael's Dream 

Additional Links

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On today’s episode, I’m joined by Siobhan Cassidy, Chair of The Boat Race, an event recognised as one of the world’s oldest and most famous amateur sporting events. 

The Boat Race is regularly attended by over 200,000 spectators at the banks of the river and watched by millions more on television. This year’s race will take place on Sunday 13 April 2025.

Although now Chair, Sionhan is previously a winner of the race herself whilst at Cambridge. 

In today’s conversation, we’re going to explore what it takes to deliver one of the UK’s most iconic sporting events, how they landed an extremely unique new title partner, as well as how she goes about balancing innovation with history and legacy. 

Timestamps

2:00 - Siobhan's Journey

5:00 - Getting into Rowing

10:00 - Creating an Impact Beyond Oxford and Cambridge

15:00 - What can be Learned from American Collegiate Sport?

21:00 - Revenue Streams of The Boat Race

23:00 - Tapping into Fandom of British IP like Harry Potter

26:00 - Festivalisation of Sporting Events

28:00 - Partnering with CHANEL

35:00 - Leveraging Content to Educate Audiences

46:00 - Looking Forward

Additional Links

The Boat Race Documentary 2025: Ep 1 | "All Change" - Turning The Tide (2025) Oxford v Cambridge

CHANEL and The Boat Race announce long-term partnership

Connect with Siobhan on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by Em Heath, Global Brand Director at Rexona, a key player globally in Unilever’s personal care brand portfolio.

Formerly a sponsor of Williams F1, the brand has taken a serious liking to women’s football - partnering with Man City and Chelsea, doing deals with players like Lauren James and Lucy Bronze, as well as playing a key role in activating around marquee properties like the Women’s World Cup and Women’s Euros, as part of Unilever’s broader partnerships with FIFA and UEFA.

We explore this interest in women’s football and the nuances of activating across almost every area of the women’s game, the role that brands can play within women’s sport, and the intricacies of managing a global brand.

Timestamps

2:00 - Em's Journey

4.30: - How Rexona Fits within Unilever Personal Care Portfolio

8:00 - Activating Partnerships with UEFA and FIFA

15:00 - Balancing Sports Partnerships with Other Areas of Marketing

18:00 - Leveraging Ambassadors at Club Partners - like Lucy Bronze and Lauren James

20:30 - What Attracted Rexona to Partner with Chelsea and Man City

26:00 - Chicken and Egg Problem Surrounding Women's Sport

29:00 - What is Rexona's Breaking Limits Program?

34:00 - Meeting KPIs and Measuring ROI

40:00 - Evaluating New Partners - and why Rexona Stopped Sponsoring in Formula 1

45:00 - Looking Forward

Additional Links

Rexona Partners with England Football Star Lucy Bronze to Inspire Girls to Move More

ICC and Unilever announce groundbreaking partnership on International Women’s Day to strengthen the future of women’s cricket

Connect with Emily on LinkedIn - Here

Connect with Andy on LinkedIn - Here